Chuck Andrews

Vistage Facilitator/Vistage Chair
Vistage Worldwide

As a Vistage Chair and former tech executive, Chuck's role is to help individuals become stronger leaders, make better decisions, and achieve breakthrough results in their lives and businesses through small, roundtable peer groups and 1:1 mentorship.

Throughout his career, he helmed six startups as a founder, early employee, and investor. Through decades of leadership experience and consulting expertise in Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Technology, he has helped executives learn to lead well, adapt to change, and build effective teams.

Better decision processes lead to better decisions. Executives who join a Vistage advisory board work with a Chair to develop the tools and decision processes they need to make the next right decision on their path to continued growth and success.

James Asmussen

Shareholder
Polsinelli

For over 30 years, James (Jim) Asmussen has combined his legal, accounting and business knowledge to advise a range of clients consisting of a multi-national pharmaceutical company to emerging growth companies and established family and closely held businesses in a range of industries, including:

• Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals
• Technology
• Software and ecommerce
• Food service (manufacturing, distribution, brokerage, and restaurants)
• General manufacturing
• Transportation and logistics
• His experience includes a combined background in corporate, securities and transactional law with representations involving merger and acquisitions transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, private equity and venture capital transactions, entity formation and entrepreneurial startups.

Jim has represented many clients from the date of their formation through the course of several equity rounds of financing and acquisitions to the ultimate sale of the company in a successful exit. He has also often represented private and corporate equity funds and strategic/industry buyers in the investment in or acquisition of promising businesses. Jim’s approach to contested business issues is seeking to find collaborative and innovative solutions that result in getting a transaction accomplished.

Jim enjoys learning about clients' businesses, and finding and referring business opportunities to help the firm's clients. His greatest job satisfaction is feeling that he is a part of clients' management teams and that he is able to help them overcome the many challenges that a growing company encounters on the road to building a successful business.

Jacob Babcock

CEO
NuCurrent, Inc.

Jacob Babcock, CEO and Founder of NuCurrent, leads the world's top wireless power technology company, with key licensees like Samsung and Honeywell. Previously, he served as North American legal counsel for cleverbridge, Inc., and as a technology attorney at Foley & Lardner LLP. A former teacher and football coach, Jacob holds over 30 patents and a JD from Northwestern University. He resides in Chicago with his family, risking life and limb to cheer for the Packers and Brewers.

Kyle Bank

Chief Operating Officer
Phenix Real Time Solutions

Helping rights holders distribute video content in real-time, in sync, and at scale.

Gabe Becerra

Director of Development
Frontenac

Gabe joined Frontenac in 2023 and brings more than ten years of investment experience to the team. Throughout his career, Gabe has held various roles in deal sourcing and transaction execution. In his current position, Gabe is responsible for leading our outreach efforts to executives, intermediaries, and other deal professionals, to identify attractive investment opportunities.

Gabe graduated from UCLA with and earned a MACC from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Brian Birnbaum

Senior Vice President, Private Wealth Advisor
Graystone Consulting

Brian Birnbaum is a Senior Vice President for Graystone Consulting – Chicago at Morgan Stanley. For the past 5 years, he has worked with clients in the areas of asset allocation and investment policy development, manager selection and ongoing program monitoring.

An alumni of Loyola University Chicago, Brian started his career with Aon Advisors, where he managed fixed income portfolios, performed equity analyses, and implemented derivative strategies. He then went on to work for other firms such as Mercer and Credit Suisse, where he accumulated over 20 years of institutional investment experience. Brian is a Chartered Financial Analyst® charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Chicago and the CFA Institute.

Paul Carlisle

COO, Market Head – Commercial Banking
Wintrust Financial

Paul Carlisle is Chief Operating Officer and Market Head of Wintrust Commercial Banking, where he is responsible for leading and coordinating middle market banking across all of the Wintrust Banks. Paul has spent his entire career serving middle market organizations in the greater Chicago area. He joined Wintrust in 2010 and prior to that spent over 25 years with JPMorgan Chase and its predecessor banks, American National and Bank One.

Harry Cendrowski

Managing Director
Cendrowski Corporate Advisors, a division of Prosperity Partners

Harry is a founding member of Cendrowski Corporate Advisors and a licensed CPA in Michigan, Illinois and Florida. He is a veteran of the private equity and venture capital industries as an investor, founder and advisor to several funds. He has served as an expert witness in numerous disputes, as court-appointed receiver for multimillion dollar estates and as the accountant to the trustee in high-profile bankruptcy cases.

Allison Cummins

CEO
Blue Outcomes

Allison Cummins is the founder and CEO of Blue Outcomes, a boutique consulting firm that specializes in Project and Change Management. Her methodical, analytic approach to technology and processes inspired her to launch Blue Outcomes in 2018. Allison is a trusted advisor for growing companies and is known for bringing transparency and accountability to business transformations.

Mary DiChristofano

Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor
Graystone Consulting

Mary DiChristofano is a Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor, Lending Specialist and Family Wealth Director for Graystone Consulting – Chicago at Morgan Stanley. She currently services the firm’s clients as their Family CFO, coordinating all their financial and estate planning needs as well as philanthropic intents. Backed by a talented team of specialized professionals, Mary’s attention to the nuances of each client profile and unique financial goals has cemented Morgan Stanley/Graystone’s reputation as a firm in a category of one.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Mary launched her financial career in 1988 with LaSalle Bank’s Financial Planning Group, where she worked with ultra-high net worth clients in every facet of their comprehensive financial plans. Mary then helped launch Frye Louis Capital Management, Inc. as a founding partner and Managing Director. The new venture was the first multi-family office business created in the Midwest, a historic accomplishment. Frye Louis was subsequently acquired by Credit Suisse in 2001 where Mary and the team served as the Family Office team within Credit Suisse. Mary and her team eventually joined Morgan Stanley in 2016 and have been with the firm ever since. With over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry across several companies, Mary has amassed a familiarity with every facet of Private Wealth Management from estate planning to tax strategy and investment management. Her network of industry specialists that she has collaborated with throughout her career extends beyond Morgan Stanley, and Mary prides herself on leveraging this network to connect her clients with the experts and advisors they need. Given her mastery of the industry, Mary seamlessly integrates the work of these various professionals to provide holistic advice to her clients.

Yelena Edelstein

Deal Partner
Blackmore Partners

As Deal Partner of Blackmore Partners, a Chicago-based independent investment firm that specializes in "EXECUTIVE-1ST " investment strategies, Edelstein leads all deal activities with the objective to generate returns above 3x MOIC.

Chris Fils

Managing Director-Complex Manager
Raymond James

Chris, is responsible for all aspects of branch profitability and growth for the Chicagoland market.

Prior to his move to Chicago, Chris managed the Florida Suncoast Complex for Raymond James. Chris joined Raymond James in 2018 after working with Morgan Stanley as the manager of their Los Gatos branch in California.

In addition to his role as Complex Manager, Chris works with professional athletes, entrepreneurs and affluent families, helping them manage complex financial matters – personally and professionally.

A graduate of the University of South Florida, Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and earned his MBA from Saint Leo University.

Chris, is responsible for all aspects of branch profitability and growth in the Chicagoland market.

Prior to his move to Chicago in 2022, Chris managed the Florida Suncoast Complex for Raymond James. Chris joined Raymond James in 2018 after working with Morgan Stanley as the manager of their Los Gatos branch in California.  In addition to his role as Complex Manager, Chris works with professional athletes, entrepreneurs and affluent families, helping them manage complex financial matters – personally and professionally.

A graduate of the University of South Florida, Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and earned his MBA from Saint Leo University. He has also completed the rigorous requirements to earn his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.

Kathryn Finney

Founder, CEO & Managing Partner
Genius Guild

Kathryn Finney is the founder and managing general partner of Genius Guild, a venture fund that invests  in scalable companies led by diverse founders. She is also the founder of The Doonie Fund, the founder and first CEO of digitalundivided—mastermind of the widely acclaimed #ProjectDiane research, and a Yale-trained epidemiologist. Selling her lifestyle company, The Budget Fashionista, made Kathryn one of the first Black women to have a successful startup exit.Kathryn Finney’s bestselling new book, “Build The Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business if You’re Not a Rich White Guy,” hit the Wall Street Journal bestsellers top 10 list in its first week published. She is the first Black woman business author at Portfolio/Penguin books.

Mike Flint

Co-Founder & Sr. Managing Director
LV2 Equity Partners

Mike is an executive with strong leadership skills and extensive manufacturing management experience. He has held leadership positions of President and Vice President in companies with revenues of $80 million to $250 million. He has demonstrated the ability to increase profits while leading and driving continuous improvement throughout an organization. Mike holds a MBA from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan where he graduated with honors and a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan.

Maritza Gibbons

Principal & Founder
MG Advisory Group LLC

Maritza Gibbons, a corporate M&A leader, provides strategic direction, financial and M&A expertise, and operational oversight to global organizations focused on driving profitable growth. She has executed acquisitions, partnerships, divestitures and other initiatives to advance the corporate strategy while managing complexity and mitigating risks. She has been recognized for building high-performing teams, developing talent, and adopting best practices across functions.

Bill Giffin

CEO
HT|TC Wealth Partners

Bill is Chief Executive Officer of HT|TC Wealth Partners (f/k/a TC Wealth Partners) and Trust Company of Illinois where he chairs the Leadership Team, Investment Team, and Wealth Management Team. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Trust Company of Illinois, and counsels a select group of clients. Bill has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He was managing director at U.S. Trust Company where he led several groups working with high-net-worth families, family offices, endowments, and foundations. Prior to that he worked at Morgan Stanley and Graystone Wealth Management.

Bill is a member of the national YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization), a global leadership community of chief executives, and serves on the board of Outreach Community Ministries. He graduated from Albion College and earned a BA in economics.

Jay Goethal

Area Managing Partner
SeatonHill

Jay Goethal is the Area managing Partner in the Chicago office for SeatonHill. Mr. Goethal has 25+ years of multi-functional experience in small to mid-size multinationals, startups, and family run businesses. His career is centered around financial management, operations, and sales with highly developed financial skills.

Additionally, Jay has invaluable experience managing crises and has excelled as CEO, CFO, and VP of Operations and is a passionate advocate that finance should be embedded through-out the business as a critical component of decision-making.

He is highly results-driven and has an extensive background leading and increasing growth, successfully guiding sudden business loss, and creating stabilization while achieving success through managed cash flow with focus on the balance sheet and expenses.

Matthew Gurwin

Private Wealth Advisor, Vice President
Graystone Consulting

Matthew Gurwin is a Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor for Graystone Consulting at Morgan Stanley. He specializes in advising wealthy business owners and families, especially those considering substantial liquidity events due to the sale or recapitalization of a privately held business. A veteran of the financial services industry, Matt draws on his 20 years of experience in the field to collaborate with professionals in a range of industries, build relationships with existing and prospective clients, and enhance internal operations to improve our clients' experience.

Matt earned both his Bachelor’s Degree and his MBA from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Graystone Consulting -Chicago, Matt was a Principal at Doeren Mayhew leading their firm’s business development efforts

Earlier in his career, Matt worked at TelemusCapital Partners, LLC, as a managing director and as an Investment Banker for Deloitte Corporate Finance. Outside the office, Matt enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Aundrianna and their four children.

Luke Haverhals

CEO | Founder
Natural Fiber Welding

Luke Haverhals is the Founder and CEO of NFW. Haverhals earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Iowa before researching alternatives to petroleum-derived plastics as a US Naval Academy professor. His vision to develop bio-neutral, high-performance materials from renewable natural nutrient inputs has become the foundation for NFW’s ecosystem of patented, paradigm-shifting material technologies.

Kristine Holtz

CEO
Cornerstone Foodservice Group

Kristine Holtz has over 25 years of senior leadership and board-level experience in the food service industry and private equity supported organizations. Currently the CEO of Cornerstone Foodservice Group, she is a former CEO of Market Day and Senior VP at HJ Heinz, where she was responsible for its specialty foodservice division.  Kristine has a proven track record of successfully leading teams to grow stakeholder value through impactful growth and integration strategies.  Most recently, she led the acquisition of five private companies to create Cornerstone Foodservice Group. Today, she works alongside and advises many industry-leading brands on their foodservice operations to create guest-centered and profitable dining experiences.

Kyle Iverson

Business Development Officer
Wells Fargo

Kyle partners with middle market companies in the Chicagoland area with annual revenues between $20 million and $5 billion. He consult with CFOs, CEOs and owners to understand short and long term objectives, and introduce specialists to help address their goals.

Robert Johnson

Managing Partner
The Solomon Group LLC

Robert Johnson is the Managing Partner of the Solomon Group, a social enterprise management consulting company and the co-founder of The Collective, a social impact business incubator that raises capital for social enterprises.

Ted Keim

Partner
Venable LLP

Ted Keim's practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, investment and venture capital transactions, private equity, corporate reorganizations and restructurings, and complex joint venture/company representation matters. Ted's clients include a broad range of public and privately held companies, both in the United States and globally, across a wide spectrum of industries, including healthcare and life sciences/medical devices, food and beverage, financial and technology services, industrials, automotive, aerospace and defense, retail, and hospitality.

Payal Keshvani

Partner
Taft Law

Payal focuses on general corporate and transactional matters. She represents clients from inception to exit, including matters of corporate governance, mergers & acquisitions, private equity transactions, minority investments, secured financing, and debt and equity issuances.

Slade Kobran

Managing Partner
Chief Outsiders

Slade is Chief Outsiders’ Managing Partner focused exclusively on the Private Equity sector. Based in the Greater NYC area, he works closely with Private Equity Operating Partners and other value creators to quickly identify and engage the Chief Outsiders resources best suited to meet the needs of investors and portfolio company management alike. Slade is actively engaged in the Private Equity community through groups such as ACG and PEI, and has worked with dozens of PE firms and their portfolio companies over the last five years.

Jeffrey Kolke

Partner
Franklin Hill Capital

Prior to becoming a partner at Franklin Hill Capital, Jeff Kolke was a managing director at Gladstone Capital and Monroe Capital, leading lower middle market debt and equity funds. He was responsible for originating and leading deal teams in closing senior unitranche, split lien term loan B’s, second lien and minority equity transactions; completing 16 transactions with a combined transaction value of over $800 million. In addition, Mr. Kolke had previously worked for GE Capital as a senior vice president, and closed over $1.5 billion in transactions.

Mr. Kolke has extensive experience in structuring and managing transactions for multiple corporate strategies including firms undergoing mergers and acquisitions, management buy outs, recapitalizations, growth capital, refinancing and turnarounds. His career began in the chemical and plastics industries working with GE Plastics, Nalco Chemical, and National Starch and Chemical. Additionally, Mr. Kolke is a certified Six Sigma Blackbelt.

Mr. Kolke received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois and a Master in Business Administration from Wayne State University.

Peter C. Kotz

Managing Partner
Old Town Equity, LLC

Mr. Kotz serves as Managing Partner of Old Town Equity. Mr. Kotz has 25+ years of experience in private equity, investment banking and the futures industry. Before Old Town Equity, his private equity experience includes leading the Chicago office as Managing Director for Gladstone Investment, a division of The Gladstone Companies, Principal with Gridiron Capital and Senior Associate at Altus Capital Partners. Mr. Kotz received an MBA with honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelors Degree from Boston College, Carroll School of Management. Active investments include Diamond Fulfillment Solutions and Challenger Breadware.

Lee M. Koury

Managing Partner
Smart Business Network Inc.

Lee is managing partner of Smart Business Network Inc., a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Aspire deal-making conference throughout the U.S. He plays a key role in establishing corporate policies and developing long-term strategy and growth plans. Previously, he founded and chaired the Growth Group at national law firm Arter & Hadden LLP (now Tucker, Ellis & West), which focused on working with middle-market and high-growth technology companies. 

Scott Lamerand

CEO
Inter-Med, Inc. dba Vista Apex and Perio Protect

Scott Lamerand is the CEO of Inter-Med, a private equity owned, platform company providing innovative dental materials and solutions into preventative, restorative and endodontic procedures Worldwide. Scott has led his organization since March of 2020, guiding the organization through the challenges of Covid and the post-Covid World. Prior to his role as CEO at Inter-Med, Scott founded Apex Dental Materials and led that organization for 15 years prior to a successful sale to Inter-Med.

Melissa Lederer

Chief Experience Officer
mHub

Melissa Lederer, chief experience officer, is focused on leading teams to design solutions that drive engagement, collaboration and success for mHUB corporate partners and startups. A seasoned business professional with more than 20 years of broad experience in both corporate and agency settings, Melissa has served a variety of technology-based businesses of all sizes and has a special passion for supporting high-growth startups on brand formation and scaling into new markets.

Over the past 10 years, Melissa has been an active force in helping to build Chicago’s robust entrepreneurial community. Melissa was a member of the founding team of 1871, Chicago’s innovation hub recognized by UBI Global as the #1 university-affiliated incubator in the world and served as its chief marketing officer for more than two years. Following 1871, Melissa helped found Chicago’s healthcare incubator and innovation center MATTER, where she was responsible for defining and building the MATTER brand and managing all areas of the company’s marketing, communications and events. Melissa continues to support MATTER strategic initiatives and special projects.

Prior to her years focused on driving civic entrepreneurship, Melissa served as the SVP of marketing for Q Interactive (formerly CoolSavings) where she oversaw all marketing, communications and creative functions and served on the company’s senior leadership team. Melissa was recognized in 2019 and 2020 in the Crain’s Chicago Business “Notable Women in Manufacturing”.

Tony Lorenz

Global Head of Corporate Development
rEvolution

Tony is the Global Head of Corporate Development and a founding investor at the industry leading sports marketing firm, rEvolution. Tony recently led the Event Solutions business at Apollo backed, Notified. As CEO of PRA (PRA), Tony transformed the business through 19 acquisitions to lead its sector in the Americas. Tony is a graduate of Harvard Business School – Owner/President Management program, and holds a BS in Accounting from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

William A. McComas

Managing Member
Bowie & Jensen LLC

William A. McComas is the Managing Partner at Bowie & Jensen and a corporate attorney focusing on the technology sector. A leading technology attorney, he represents companies, investors, and entrepreneurs in many different technology industries. He counsels clients throughout the country in connection with financing, mergers and acquisitions, sales of assets, equity financings, and other general corporate matters. He is well established for helping companies to manage and develop commercial technology and strategies. He often publishes and speaks on such topics and has received numerous awards including citations in Best Lawyers in America and multiple "Lawyer of the Year" honors.

Tom McDonough

Founder & Managing Partner
TJM Capital Partners

Tom McDonough, based in Chicago, IL, US, is currently a Founder and Managing Partner at TJM Capital Partners. Tom McDonough brings experience from previous roles at American FINCO Financial Services, CES Companies, AWTP, LLC and BMO Capital Markets.

Tom holds a JD/MBA in Law/Finance at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. With a robust skill set that includes Customer Service, Public Speaking, Negotiation, Strategic Planning, Business Development and more.

John McNulty

Chief Executive Officer
Didgebridge, LLC

John McNulty's distinguished career began with the Gillette company, where he spent 9 years in various positions of Sales/Marketing leadership. Following Gillette, John's leadership experience has also included; Vice President-Wilson Sporting Goods, Vice President/GM-Kodak, Senior Vice President-Brunswick, and President of MacGregor Golf Worldwide.

Since 2007, John has been CEO & Co-Founder of Didgebridge, which is a data-PRIVACY-focused, Marketing-Technology & Strategic Consulting company, occupying a leadership position in the rapidly accelerating, global "Data-PRIVACY-Revolution."

Daniel Miller

Managing Director
TMV Holdings

Dan Miller is a seasoned executive specializing in helping entrepreneurs and their organizations grow and prosper. He has extensive experience in a wide range of industries and focuses in both M&A and operational excellence.

Julia Monfrini Peev

Managing Partner
PACE Healthcare Capital

Julia Monfrini Peev is the Founder and Managing Partner of PACE Healthcare Capital, a venture capital firm investing in digital health and healthcare technologies based in Chicago, IL. As a seasoned institutional VC/PE investor, Julia has deployed $1B of capital in successful and transformative healthcare businesses, with a demonstrated track record.

Michelle Moreno

Managing Partner
VentureDNA

Michelle Moreno is a Managing Partner with VentureDNA, leading the Investment Banking services and supporting the firm's advisory services. Focused on U.S. and global high growth companies, activities include Capital Raising, both equity and debt, for the issuance of Series A and B securities and related corporate debt offerings. Industries served include Technology and Services companies in Life Sciences, Healthcare, MedTech / Medical Devices, Professional Services, Manufacturing / Industrial Technologies, Marketing, Education, Energy, Food, and Government Services. Michelle has worked with companies of all sizes from Fortune 500 and large public companies through to family-owned businesses. Investors include institutional funds, family offices, and qualified investors.

Hafeezah Muhammad

Founder & CEO
Backpack Healthcare

Hafeezah Muhammad is an extraordinary mompreneur, passionate about leveraging technology to address critical societal issues. With an extensive background in leadership and a profound understanding of the transformative power of A.I. and technology, she embarked on a mission to revolutionize mental health support for children. Her visionary leadership has catapulted her company to the forefront of the industry, setting new standards and paving the way for a more accessible and inclusive approach to mental wellness.

Hafeezah’s leadership extends beyond the realms of technological innovation. She has cultivated a company culture of empathy, collaboration, and personal growth. By prioritizing her team’s well-being and professional development, she has fostered a collective spirit of excellence and unwavering dedication. Hafeezah understands that authentic leadership is not just about creating groundbreaking products but also about inspiring others to achieve their full potential.

Dan Needham

Operating Partner
Wynnchurch Capital

Thomas Parro

Senior Managing Director
MERK Capital Corporation

Mr. Parro is an operationally focused professional with recognized expertise in optimizing and expanding company enterprise values throughout investment lifecycles and macroeconomic cycles.  He has 27+ years of experience in C-level management, private equity, family office, and institutional investing and portfolio management. In addition, Mr. Parro has considerable expertise in the strategic development and integration of both start-ups and acquired companies both domestically and internationally.  

For the past 10 years Mr. Parro has owned and operated an independent sponsor private equity investment group. In that 10 years has invested in 5 platform companies and several add on acquisitions. He has develop an extensive network of investment bankers, brokers, lawyers, accountants and consultants that provide the opportunity to review over 700 investment opportunities a year in various industries and platforms.

Prior to MERK, Mr. Parro led the mergers & acquisitions effort at Globe Union Industrial Inc. (“Globe Union”).  He was instrumental in growing Globe Union from a private label $125 million single product line company to a $750 million branded broad based product line company over a five year period with operations that included North America, Europe, Taiwan, and China. Mr. Parro also led the mergers & acquisitions effort for Field Container Co. (“Field Container”).  He was instrumental in acquiring numerous companies that help grow Field Container from $350 million to $500 million over a five year period. His primary responsibilities were integration of the companies in all facets of the operations including, manufacturing, sales and marketing, administrative services, and IT. While at the financial services division of GE Capital for approximately eight years, Mr. Parro managed numerous strategies that led to the growth of various companies through both organic as well as acquisitions.  

Scott Parsons

Head of Sponsor Finance
Old National Bank

Luca Pescarini

Transaction Advisory Manager
ORBA

Luca is a Transaction Advisory Manager in ORBA’s Tax Group. He is responsible for the direction of the client services and has worked for an array of clients in various industries, including closely held businesses, manufacturing, distribution, financial services, technology and construction. Luca has focused his last several years on executing deals in the small-market and middle-market for a variety of buy-side and sell-side transactions. Luca possesses a diverse set of skills which allows him to effectively navigate the complexities of transaction-related services for our clients. He is expert in thoroughly conducting the due diligence necessary to identify and analyze the potential risks, legal issues and other factors impacting transactions. His years of project management experience ensures that deadlines are met and tasks are executed efficiently.

Michael Ross

CEO & Vistage Chair
Ross & Associates

Michael Ross is the CEO/Founder of Ross & Associates, LLC, a boutique publishing and technology consultancy serving the entire publishing community, from PreK through higher education, and an executive coach to CEOs in the Chicago area.

Previously he was the SVP and GM at Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., and EVP and Publisher of World Book. He is a Vistage Chair and the author of "Publishing in the Digital Age: How Business Can Thrive in a Rapidly Changing Environment."

Michael Sakach

Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor
Graystone Consulting

Michael Sakach is a Managing Director for Graystone Consulting at Morgan Stanley. He is the lead advisor for many of the team’s largest families and individual clients.

“Mike” received his Bachelor’s in Economics and Business Administration from Augustana College before receiving his MBA in Finance from Northern Illinois University. He launched his professional career with Harris Trust & Savings Bank, where he served as a Portfolio Manager for the Bank’s family trust relationships and UHNW individual client relationships. He was also selected to oversee the Bank’s largest commingled equity investment fund, the Common Stock Fund. Mike became a founding partner of Frye Louis Capital Management Inc., which was the first multi-family office business created in the Midwest. At Frye Louis, Mike was a portfolio manager and served on the firm’s core active investment management offerings, its asset allocation process and institutional consulting manager selection team. After the advisory practice was purchased by Credit Suisse in 2001, he became a Director in their Family Wealth Management group (FWM) within their US Private Bank. In 2016, Mike joined Morgan Stanley/Graystone Consulting, bringing his decades of experience as a portfolio manager, investment consultant and financial advisor to his clients. Along with his CFA® marks, his tenure and experiences have greatly contributed to the group’s recognition amongst Forbes, Barron’s and other top financial publications.

Ken Scales

Founder & CEO
Scalesology

As founder & CEO, Ken ensures Scalesology is delivering innovative and scaleable solutions for clients while providing a positive atmosphere of integrity and respect for employees.

Ken has led technology company operations and sales teams for over 20 years.  He has created and managed the development of multiple technology services/products, which gained national awards for innovation. Ken has the unique ability to translate business requirements into technology functionality. His mindset for listening to his clients and delivering problem solving solutions has increased his client's efficiently using technology, sales of products/services, and overall revenue.

Ken has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University.

Justin Seamonds

Prime Minister of Fun and CEO
Roti Restaurants

Justin joined Roti in early 2020 and led it through the pandemic, positioning it for growth in the fast-casual Mediterranean segment. Previously led Dean & DeLuca (including transacting to a new owner), and led food startups and challenger brands across consumer categories. Hyper-focused on Roti as a unique combination of craveable-healthful-affordable food that can fuel Food For A Full Life for it's guests and teams.

Raymond Siffel

CEO / Managing Partner
Calibr Merchant Solutions

Almost two decades of experience in the B2B credit card processing / integrated solutions space. He has worked closely with the C-Suite at midsize firms all the way up to Global Fortune 500 organizations. Having studied opera and theater at Northwestern, he built a strong understanding of the value that collaboration and thinking "outside of the box” and brings that to his approach to client relationships. Raymond leads Calibr’s external partnerships as well as architecting and delivering solutions and saving proposals to clients.

Michael Simon

Managing Principal
Traverse Pointe Partners

Michael is the Managing Principal and Founder of Traverse Pointe Partners. He is responsible for investment sourcing, valuation, transaction structuring, fundraising and administrative activities on behalf of the firm. Michael is the Chairman of Integrated Health Systems. Small Miracles, Greater Midwest Urgent Cares and the Hope House.

Kevin Slaughter

Partner
Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC

Kevin Slaughter is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. He focuses on representing clients in complex commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financing agreements, joint ventures, private offerings, supply/service agreements, distribution agreements, development and licensing agreements, and manufacturing agreements. Kevin has particular experience representing Fortune 500 companies in middle market transactions. Additionally, Kevin is a go-to attorney for clients in the cannabis industry, advising them on a range of issues including license applications, corporate governance and funding. He also assists cannabis clients with organizational structure, real estate matters, branding and licensing agreements and supply agreements. Clients appreciate Kevin’s practical advice, his effective communication skills, and his knack for problemsolving. Relying on his extensive experience and strong interpersonal skills, Kevin has achieved exceptional results for his clients. Above all, he listens to his clients to understand their needs, goals, and objectives. Kevin earns their trust and confidence by employing an analytical yet pragmatic approach that is centered around accomplishing the business objectives of his clients in a responsive, efficient, and effective manner.

Marne Smiley

CEO
Bumper Lanes

Marne Smiley is obsessed with helping companies grow in her role as CEO of Bumper Lanes. She is an accomplished marketing executive with extensive experience in providing outsourced marketing solutions to drive growth through mergers and acquisitions. Specializing in brand integration and strategic positioning, [he/she/they] leverages data-driven insights to optimize marketing efforts, ensuring smooth transitions and maximizing value.

Danielle Solomon

Managing Partner, Chicago
Forvis Mazars

Danielle is the managing partner of the Chicago office for Forvis Mazars where she leads a team of dedicated partners and team members in all service lines and industries to help clients unlock their full potential and deliver unmatched client service. Danielle has been in the healthcare industry her entire career and served as the National Industry Partner for the Healthcare Practice for five years before taking the role as Chicago Managing Partner.

As the industry leader, she lead the firmwide practice of more than 1,000 dedicated healthcare professionals with a goal of innovative growth and expansion of services and locations. She has more than 25 years of experience working with large integrated health providers as well as physician practices, children’s hospitals, and private equity groups.

She has worked with hospitals to develop growth strategies and partnerships, performance improvement solutions, and data-centric risk-based analysis; and to coordinate related initiatives with value-based care, telehealth, and the opioid crisis. She has been involved in multimillion-dollar exempt bond offerings and coordinated large integrated health system audits.

She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, Missouri Society of CPAs, Illinois CPA Society, Healthcare Financial Management Association, and Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association.

Danielle is a 1996 honors graduate of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a B.S. degree in accounting.

Stuart Sorkin

Member
Sustainable Local Food Investment Group

Rob Stepen

Business Performance Advisor
Insperity

Rob Stepen, Business Performance Advisor with Insperity applies decades of experience as a business owner to work with Small to Mid-size businesses to realize their company goals by improving their efficiency, accelerating growth and driving revenue by introducing our PEO Model.

Jim Sullivan

CEO
Vanqua Bio

Dr. Sullivan is co-founder and CEO of Vanqua. In addition, he has been a Venture Partner with Orbimed since January 2019. Previously, he was the Vice President of Research at Abbvie where he was responsible for the company’s research efforts in a variety of therapeutic/disease areas including oncology, immunology, neurology, hepatitis C and cystic fibrosis.

Jim has advanced more than 100 compounds into clinical development across a number of disease states and technology platforms. These include products on the market for HCV (Mavyret and Viekira), the first-in-class Bcl2 selective inhibitor, Venclexta, for hematological cancers, a new oral agent for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, RINVOQ, and multiple compounds currently in Phase II or III clinical trials. He has authored/co-authored more than 130 scientific publications and is an inventor on 11 patents.

Jim is an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University and serves on the board of several companies and foundations including Regis Technologies, Genomics Medicine Ireland, Genuity Science, MATTER Healthcare Incubator, Chicago Biotechnology Accelerator and the Pistoia Alliance. He earned his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in biochemistry from Trinity College Dublin and conducted post-doctoral research in neurobiology at Northwestern University.

Sue Tinnish, PhD

Vistage Facilitator
Vistage Worldwide

Sue Tinnish, PhD is an executive Vistage coach working with CEOs and Presidents of middle-market companies. She supports executives as they deal with their own leadership issues (delegation, time management, prioritization, decision making & mindset) as well as supporting their organization’s growth addressing issues like talent optimization, sales, finance and risk.

She is trained in Positive Intelligence and completed the Latino Leadership Institute’s Insight to Inclusive Leadership.

Previously, Sue worked and led in a variety of setting including academia, corporate banking, consulting and being an entrepreneur.

Ugo Udeogu

Managing Partner
MSix Capital Group

Ugo Udeogu is the Managing Partner at MSix Capital Group, a lower middle market private equity fund. With a promising stint in American football, including a tryout with the Indianapolis Colts, he demonstrated early on his dedication and physical capabilities. An unforeseen injury redirected his path from the field to the world of business and technology, where he has since amassed extensive experience in operations and strategy.

Building on his experience in athletics, he co-founded and ran a venture-backed startup, navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship and demonstrating his capacity for leadership and innovation. His journey through the startup ecosystem honed his skills in strategic decision-making, operations, and resource allocation, laying a solid foundation for his future endeavors.

He holds an MBA/MA from the renowned Wharton School and Lauder Institute, complemented by a Bachelor's in Computer Science, grounding him in both technical and managerial aspects of business. His career spans diverse operational roles across established enterprises and startups, encompassing strategic implementation and efficiency improvements.

Michael Wallach

Vice President
Levy Family Partners

Michael Wallach is a Vice President of Investment for Levy Family Partners, the Family Office of Larry Levy (Founder and former CEO of Levy Restaurants). Michael oversees the family’s venture portfolio and is responsible for global deal origination, due diligence and fostering strategic relationships to maximize return potential. He assisted the family in taking Del Taco (NASDAQ: TACO) public via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company and is a Board Observer to Aura Frames. Michael holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ryan Walsh

CEO & Founder
Valqari

Ryan Walsh is the CEO and Founder of Valqari. As a former Army Ranger, he builds resiliency and tenacity into his business strategies. Over his 11 years in the drone industry, he has invented multiple critical technologies for drone operations with 34 granted patents. Valqari has been recognized with multiple accolades and awards for their trailblazing efforts under his leadership and innovative vision.

Jonathan Webb

Co-Managing Partner
National Christian Foundation

Jonathan Webb is a Co-Managing Partner at the National Christian Foundation (“NCF”) and has 30+ years of finance experience from a career in investment banking and private equity. He has extensive expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, principal investing, strategic planning, and business development.

At NCF, a leading advisor of donor advised funds, Jonathan is a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions team, which focuses on originating and structuring non-cash gift strategies for the granting of public equities and alternative assets (closely held business interest, real estate, and intellectual property). As the industry’s recognized leader in complex gifts, in 2023 NCF executed $1.2 billion in transactions.

Prior to joining NCF, Jonathan was a co-founder of Legacy Acquisition Corporation (“Legacy”), a $300 million Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) which successfully executed its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. Other experience includes working at Duff & Phelps as a Managing Director in Mergers & Acquisitions, a Vice President at Lehman Brothers, and in various other roles at Oppenheimer & Company, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Oppenheimer, and Loop Capital Principal Investments.

Jonathan studied finance at Morehouse College and holds an MBA degree from Columbia Business School. He serves on boards for both non-profit and for-profit entities and enjoys a variety of hobbies and mission work.

Justin M. Weber

Investment Officer & Corporate Development Officer
Family Office

We actualize opportunities in water, alternative, energy, and infrastructure projects nationwide by delivering programmatic value creation via organic and inorganic growth of actively managed portfolio companies.

We create value by proving the team and resources to commercialize and adopt emerging technologies, utilize alternative data, and execute atypical strategies to solve for x.

James Whitney

Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor
Graystone Consulting

James Whitney is a Managing Director for Graystone Consulting at Morgan Stanley. He is responsible for several, significant family relationships and is one of four Private Wealth Advisors on the Graystone – Chicago team. A 30-year veteran of the financial services industry, he has been with Morgan Stanley since 2016.

“Jim” received his Bachelor’s and MBA degrees from DePaul University, where he majored in Finance & Marketing. After graduating, he joined Harris Investment Management a business unit of ABN-AMRO as an investment relationship manager for a multitude of families, endowments, and foundations. While there, he was a voting member of the investment management committee, which managed over $50 billion of client assets. Jim eventually joined Frye Louis Capital Management -- the first multi-family office business created in the Midwest -- as a founding partner, President and Chief Investment Officer. After Frye Louis Capital Management was purchased by Credit Suisse in 2001, he joined the firm before ultimately moving to Morgan Stanley in 2016. Jim’s experience in working with families on complex financial matters has established him as one of the top financial advisors in the nation as ranked by Forbes Best in State (2021), Barron’s Top 1200 (2018-2021) and the Financial Times Top 400 (2019-2020).

As a Charted Financial Analyst® charterholder, Jim has been involved with the CFA Institute, serving in various capacities. Prior to that, he was the Chairman of the Board of the CFA Society of Chicago.

Kevin Willer

Venture Partner
Chicago Ventures

Michael R. Wilson

Partner
Sheppard Mullin

Nicole Wolter

President & CEO
HM Manufacturing

Nicole is a second-generation manufacturer and the president and CEO of HM Manufacturing. As a skilled and seasoned leader, she is invested in supporting the next generation of manufacturing leaders in addition to advancing the manufacturing industry as a whole.

She sits on the board of directors of numerous associations such as the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA), and mHUB. Nicole also serves as the current chairman of the Technology and Manufacturing Association (TMA).